Nineteenth International Conference on the Arts in Society

Abstract

Entry into the commercial theater remains highly exclusionary, with structures in place that bar marginalized theater makers from getting their foot in the door. With the average earned salary of a playwright being $25,000-$35,000 annually, including “safety gigs,” it is hard for artists from marginalized groups to sustain themselves long enough to enter the Regional Theater or Broadway pipeline. The purpose of this paper is to explore different techniques organizations have used to break down the barriers to entry for early-career marginalized artists. For example, I work with SheNYC Arts, a nonprofit supporting the work of marginalized gender theater makers, including cis-women, trans and non-binary people. The goal of SheNYC Arts’ programs is for our artists to gain experience in the theater industry without the normal barriers that exclude marginalized gender people, especially artists of color or artists with disabilities. Showcasing the work of emerging playwrights and composers, we hold a free, open, and blind submission process for full-length plays and musicals. We use a transparent script selection process, with every show submitted being read by a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 5 script readers, including producers, dramaturgs, literary managers, and more. Then via a communal dialogue with SheNYC Board, Executives, and Staff, top scripts are presented, and a season of 18 shows are selected. Only then are the names of the playwrights and composers shared with the group.